The Hawaiian gazette., 1887-11-08
THE LATE ABR. FORNANDER.
Sketch of His Life Close of an Illus
trious Career.

The late Abraham Fernandez,
who died at one O'Clock on the
afternoon of Tuesday, Nov. LIST, was
born November 4, 1872, on the island
of GLAND. Sweden, and consequently
was but three days short of the age
of rs years.
Deceased came to the Islands first
in 1888, but went cruising on
whaling vessel and returned in 1912.
He commenced at that time coffee
plantation in Waolani, up the Nuu
anu Valley. He followed this bust
ness about five years, when he took
up surveying, which he prosecuted
until 1S49. In 1917 he married Ala
nakapu Pinao, by whom he had three
daughters and one son, the eldest
daughter being the wife of Captain
John H. Brown, at whose residence
he died Mrs. Fernandez died in
1857, and Mrs. Brown is the only sur
viving member of the family.
He commenced editing the Homo
lulu Weekly argus, March %, 1852
The Argus was subsequently merged
in the Weekly Era. Subsequently he
took charge of the Polynesian until
the year 1864. At this time he was
appointed Circuit Judge of Maui,
which office he filed until in 1865 Lot
Kamehameha v appointed him In
spector General of Schools, being the
first person who occupied that posi-
ton in the Hawaiian Islands In
1870. he was succeeded in this Office
by H. r. Hitchcock. In May, 1871,
he was re-appointed Circuit Judge of
Maui, which Office he filed until his
appointment in December last to the
Office of Fourth Associate Justice of
the Supreme Court of the Hawaiian
Islands. During his incumbency of
the Circuit Judgeship of Maui, Judge
Fernandez commenced the publica-
tion of his great work, THE Poly
nesian Races" in three volumes.
The materials for his books he gath
cred more or less during his tours as
Inspector Of Schools. In addition to
these works, deceased had accumu-
lated an extensive and interesting
collection of manuscripts, genealogi-
cal papers, Hawaiian legends, and
other curiosities relating to the his
tory Of the Islands.
His work on the Polynesian Races
was recognized by King Oscar of
Sweden comforting on him the order
Of the North Star in February last.
He was also invested with the Order
of Kalakaua and the Order of Kane
hameha.
Deceased was a gentleman whose
kindness of heart and openness of
band made him favorite everywhere;
to know him was TO respect and adj
mire his splendid qualities of mind
and heart.
His decisions when Circuit Judge
were always straightforward and
honest, and no one ever accused Judge
Fernandez of being BIASED in his
judgments on the bench. His deci
sioHs We're seldom ever appealed from.
His literary ability has been SO fire.
quently eulogised and is so widely
known that anything added now
would be superfuous.
Judge Fernandez had correspon-
dence with various learned and scien
tifc societies in Europe and was
made member OF several Of them.
He was a corresponding member of
the Anthropoiogical and Geogra-
phical Society Of Stockholm, his
diploma dating March 8, 1880; CORE
spending member of the California
Academy of Sciences, from January,
1879. In 1881, he received the
Linnaan Medal from the Royal
Swedish Academy of Sciences. The
late Judge was a member of the
State Church lutheran of Sweden.
The deceased was a member and the
second oldest Past Master of Haw
allan Lodge of AIasons; a member of
Excelsior Lodge of Odd Fellows,
since 1852; and also a member of
Polynesian Encampment and of Ka-
mehameha Lodge of Perfection.
Symptoms of cancer in the mouth
began to appear in September last
year. In November he came to Ho-
nolulu and was operated on by Drs.
Brodie and Trousseau. He has resi-
ded in Honolulu during the last year
of his life, at the residence of his
daughter and son -in-law, who did
everything in their power for his com
fort during the few months that re
NAMED Of his active and useful life.